Outside of Crystal Palace and Brighton supporters, it is a derby that is hard to fathom.

The two clubs are separated by some 45 miles, yet the rivalry between the two clubs goes all the way back to the 1970s and has been fierce ever since.

Tomorrow night the two teams will go head-to-head for the first time since the Eagles beat the Seagulls in the Championship play-off semi-final in 2013.

So what does Palace boss Roy Hodgson make of the rivalry.

Wilfried Zaha of Crystal Palace celebrates with team-mate Yannick Bolasie after scoring his first goal during the Championship play-off semi-final second leg against Brighton (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)

Speaking at his pre-match press conference, the former England manager said: "I don't have an understanding of it, I've been given the history. I accept the official version that's out there and I know the rivalry is very strong, dates back a long time.

"Every club has its classic derby match, we have several of course being in London, but it's interesting this one is regarded as the most important derby with Palace fans and we're preparing accordingly.

"I don't think it will differ a great deal to London derby. It's a particularly fierce rivalry, fans care an extra bit about the result and performance of team and that puts an extra bit of pressure on the players.

"Our fans believe this is most important one and we'll take it that way as well."

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And the boss has been talking about his memories of previous derby matches too, in particular his first one as manager of Inter Milan.

He added: "The first memory might have been my first Milan derby when we had two players suspended, so we were weakened going into it and I was suspended for the game, amazingly enough, probably the only time in my life I've been suspended, and not been on th touchline, so I remember that one very well.

"I didn't lose my cool to get suspended, I made a cynical remark when we were winning at Lazio and the referee added on about eight minutes at the end of the game and I said to the fourth referee 'why don't you play until they score the equaliser and then blow the whistle'."

Chris Hughton will be in the home dugout tomorrow night and Hodgson talked up the job he has done with the Seagulls, and previously at other clubs such as Newcaslte United too.

Hodgson added: "He has done an excellent job, he's done a good job at all of the clubs he's managed at, everywhere he's been. This job is one that's lifted him up to top echelon of English managers, he's widely respected among managers and coaches, a very big fish in the LMA, the job he's done is exceptional, but it doesn't surprise me, I know what he's capable of."